The Georgia Bulldogs need to put last week in the rearview mirror. No, it did not go well for them at home vs. arch rival Florida. In fact, it only got worse on the road vs. a very beatable Oklahoma team on Saturday. Sitting at 17-8 overall and 5-7 in SEC play, this projected No. 10 seed needs to find a way to boost its flimsy NCAA Tournament resume before it is too late. Next up for Georgia is at Kentucky...
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Kentucky will be laying a whopping 7.5 points at home to visiting Georgia on Tuesday night at Rupp Arena in Lexington. The associated moneylines have Kentucky at -320 and Georgia at +255. The projected point total is 161.5. We are looking a possible final score of Kentucky 84.5, Georgia 77. What this tells us is a road upset of Kentucky should get the Bulldogs in!
The road date at Kentucky is one of three Quad 1 games left on Georgia's SEC slate. Even if Georgia does not beat Kentucky in Lexington, Vanderbilt in Nashville, or Alabama at home, the Bulldogs could still make the tournament if they win their three other non-Quad 1 games. Thus, it would make the Texas two-step, the second with South Carolina, and the Mississippi State season-ender must-wins.
If Georgia were to somehow beat Kentucky on the road, that might be the Dawgs' best win of the year.
Georgia can stop the bleeding by playing with house money vs. Kentucky
Of the six remaining opponents left on Georgia's SEC schedule, Kentucky has the third-best NET rating of 28 behind Vanderbilt (No. 13) and Alabama (No. 21). Georgia finds itself with a NET rating of 39, which is only better than two of their remaining opponents in South Carolina (No. 112) and Mississippi State (No. 94). Texas is in the same vicinity as Georgia with its NET rating of 37 right now.
After playing one Quad 1 game after aother, it does not seem to stop for Georgia. Should they get this win, that would make the Bulldogs more than just a No. 10 seed in this year's tournament. They have been holding steady to that seeding for the better part of three weeks now. Mike White's team is talented, but an incredibly frustrating watch at times. Thankfully, they should be getting a huge boost.
Assuming the team's best player in Jeremiah Wilkinson can suit up on Tuesday night, that could go a long way in Georgia potentially pulling off this road upset of Kentucky. Wilkinson missed the last two games vs. Florida and Oklahoma with an aching shoulder. He was not listed on the injury report coming in. Either White knows exactly what he is doing here, or he has no earthly idea coming in to it.
Regardless, Georgia being a sizable underdog should take some major pressure off the Bulldogs.